Let’s argue about MPG, Wages, etc

[Mike]

Would it be worth it to put new gears in your current truck?

It would if I intended on having it for another 5+ years. I say that because financially, it likely wouldn’t gain me anything. I could drop 2.64 gears in where I could run in direct (11th), and might gain 1/10mpg, but that would be it.

It would simply allow me to run a little faster, but wouldn’t effect the amount of total miles I ran. As I have mentioned in the past. I spend a year running fast and a year running slow. In the end, miles were very close. Running fast, in the real world, will result in only a very slight increase in overall miles.

 

[mndriver]

Would it be worth it to put new gears in your current truck?

Swapped my old truck from 3.42 to 3.58. it was not worth the money.

I I swapped it because my power. Diviner was failing again. My rear differential was 1.3 million. This made sure both was new

 

[Electric Chicken]

Swapped my old truck from 3.42 to 3.58. it was not worth the money.

I I swapped it because my power. Diviner was failing again. My rear differential was 1.3 million. This made sure both was new

I think you overpaid.

 

[Hammer166]

Real question is what kinda loaded mpg are you getting running those lower speeds. What rpm are you running. Running at low to a rpm will cause the engine to have to use more throttle to pull. The biggest MPG factor is load on the engine. This is why a good driver gets better mpg with a larger motor. Also mpg wise if you Wana drive fast gear for it. If you Wana run 70 mph most f the time 3.42 rears with a High power Cat motor gets good mpg. Let's guess 7 loaded. Cats like lower rpms so gear it to run 1400 rpm at what ever speed you intend to run. Another thing is with a 13 speed. Use all 13 gears when loaded. Less throttle. Acceleration should not be hard and fast. Smooth and steady win. Let's continue with a Cat motor. KEEP IT IN THE 1400 TO 1500 RPM RANGE. Everyone drives different but for this particular motor 1400 to 1500 rpm is the sweet spot. Let's say a 1999 5EK to specify which Cat we are talking about. Progressive shifting is another thing that affects speed. If you prefer to run at the limit run the limit you run run less the run less. Decide what you want and gear for it. Here's a good rule of thumb for older engines. 2003 or older and any year C15 or 3406E.
Cat Low Range shift Rpm: 1250 to 1350
Cat High range shift Rpm: 1400 to 1500
Detroit Low Range shift Rpm: 1350 to 1400
Detroit HI Range Shift rpm: 1600
Cummins Low Range Shift Rpm: 1300
Cummins High Range shift Rpm:1500
This is what I have seen work best. The Cat we ran at 65 to 70 mph most of the time. It was right around 1500 at 70 mph. Half loaded and half unloaded miles. We ran heavy 95 to 100k Gross Normally. This gave us 6.9 to 7.0 Average. Running 80k would have probable saved 2 to 3 tenths. Also this was a farm pickup so when I say half unloaded I mean half non fully loaded miles. It went kinda like this. Starts day. Pick up Farm 1 2 and 3 30 to 50 miles in between most farms. 120 miles to Dairy. Unload. Dead head to house or to another farm. Then next day repeat. A normal truck would probake get 7.2 to 7.5 average depending on dead head.

You need to ride with someone who uses progressive shifting. Unless I'm pointed up hill or fighting wind , I don't ever even hit 1400 rpm until the shift into 13th. Once I'm in high range, my shift point starts @ 1100 and bumps 50 rpm per gear on the way thru the pattern.

The shift points you list are way out of date, a couple generations old. I drove one of the last 3406 E-models, and it never saw 1500 until top gear either.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Schneider trucks be like 2nd weeeeeeeeee 1800 shift 5th weeeeeeeeee 1700 shift 8th weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 1900 shift 10th weeeeeee clunk bang shift 12th lug lug lug lug okay now we finally at 60.

5 years, 500k later FOR SALE! FLEET MAINTAINED! NEW SHOCKS AND TIRES! ONLY 55K!

 

[Electric Chicken]

I'm exaggerating but only a little. They do sometimes hang on for so long they're skipping 4 gears. Under freaking load. Up a hill.

I just roll my eyes. If it blows it blows. Not my truck, not my shifting, not my programming. And they say that's normal.

I used to care. Like 2 and a half years ago.

 

[Hammer166]

Schneider trucks be like 2nd weeeeeeeeee 1800 shift 5th weeeeeeeeee 1700 shift 8th weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 1900 shift 10th weeeeeee clunk bang shift 12th lug lug lug lug okay now we finally at 60.

5 years, 500k later FOR SALE! FLEET MAINTAINED! NEW SHOCKS AND TIRES! ONLY 55K!

I can see that empty but loaded? That's just dumb! They might as well go back to the old 7 speeds.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I can see that empty but loaded? That's just dumb! They might as well go back to the old 7 speeds.

Yeah it's stupid.

Don't get me started on the 1st gear start bobtail and 5th gear start with 43k.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I just laugh anymore. You'll be at a stop sign bobtailing around the rail and it picks 1st. Then you back into your trailer, do your tug test, back into neutral for your pretrip, paperwork, etc. Out of neutral into drive and what's it wanna do? Try to take off in 5th.

I'm like, really? Intelligent Powertrain Management, my ass.

 

[Mike]

I can see that empty but loaded? That's just dumb! They might as well go back to the old 7 speeds.

my first OTR truck had one of those

 

[Hammer166]

my first OTR truck had one of those

I pulled fuel them in the mid-nineties behind a 3306 cat. Big R and yellow could outrun us

 

[Mike]

I pulled fuel them in the mid-nineties behind a 3306 cat. Big R and yellow could outrun us

Very underpowered Cummins in a puke colored JB Hunt international.

 

[Hammer166]

Very underpowered Cummins in a puke colored JB Hunt international.

I always wondered how fun those were to shift through a cabover shift tower

 

[ironpony]

#1 most important thing to remember about him is he will argue with you no matter what you say and no matter what the topic is. He's not an ass hole, he just can't help it. It's in his DNA.

 

[Duck]

One of their best skits.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Very underpowered Cummins in a puke colored JB Hunt international.

What's wrong with puke colored?

 

[Hammer166]

What's wrong with puke colored?

If you think Swift gets picked on nowadays, you should have heard the abuse those puke-colored trucks got on the radio. It was brutal.

 

[Duck]

Is this "puke colored"?

 

[Electric Chicken]

I don't really think it's that bad.

Color isn't really my top concern WRT Class 8 and making money.

 

[RollOn382]

You need to ride with someone who uses progressive shifting. Unless I'm pointed up hill or fighting wind , I don't ever even hit 1400 rpm until the shift into 13th. Once I'm in high range, my shift point starts @ 1100 and bumps 50 rpm per gear on the way thru the pattern.

The shift points you list are way out of date, a couple generations old. I drove one of the last 3406 E-models, and it never saw 1500 until top gear either.

I said use progressive but some folks aren't too smart and simply can't. Also I do ride with someone who does. I said that to make it simple for the people that are a little slower. But yes I agree a Cat is happy to shift at 1400. Under a hard pull 1500 will reward best power.